In the wake of antisemitic arson and graffiti, New South Wales police have doubled their resources. Forty investigators have now been deployed to Strike Force Pearl, the team dedicated to investigating hate crimes across Sydney. With increased patrols around places of worship and schools, the force is vowing to catch those responsible.
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00:00As the threat of anti-Semitic attacks intensified this week, police have diverted more resources
00:10to protecting Sydney's Jewish community.
00:12We'll readjust as necessary, but right now our resources are placed primarily in the
00:18east because that's where the attacks are happening and that's where the concerns are.
00:22I never thought in Australia in 2025 we would see this level of racism or anti-Semitism.
00:29Workforce Pearl has been bolstered by resources from other areas and will focus on tackling
00:34anti-Semitism.
00:35What that means is additional resources from specialist areas will supplement the pro-activity
00:41activity in areas that need it.
00:44Those resources will continue 24-hour patrols around Sydney's eastern suburbs.
00:50Detectives have so far charged 10 people over four separate alleged anti-Semitic attacks,
00:55but more offenders remain at large.
00:59There have been at least nine similar attacks across Sydney since October last year.
01:05While counter-terror police are yet to lay charges over a caravan containing explosives
01:10found at Durrell in Sydney's north-west on January 19.
01:14It also contained a list of Jewish synagogues.
01:17There are people before the court and there's still other people to identify.
01:22We don't know how many, how few that is but they just need to do the work ahead of them.
01:27While the Premier has faced more questions over his decision not to notify the Prime
01:31Minister about the Durrell case.
01:33If this Prime Minister wasn't notified, effectively until the public was notified, that is without
01:39precedent.
01:40It was strictly confidential.
01:41Very few people were aware of it and very few people needed to know about it.
01:45Now I take that responsibility very seriously.
01:48Police have charged a man for allegedly drawing a Nazi symbol on a wall in Kingsford yesterday
01:53amongst various other unrelated symbols and words.
01:57The 37-year-old man appeared in Parramatta court today and did not apply for bail.
02:02His lawyer told the court he believes his client may be suffering from psychosis and
02:06he has been ordered to undergo a mental health assessment.
02:10As police vow to make more arrests, the government has promised to strengthen hate speech laws.
02:16We're also looking at boosting penalties when it comes to these kinds of racist attacks
02:21in New South Wales.
02:22We will not tolerate it.
02:24The Premier says details of the proposed new legislation will be announced soon.